MONTRÉAL, March 21, 2025 /CNW/ - In order to maintain and enhance the regional capacity of homelessness services, including emergency and transitional housing services, increase accessibility and address the urgent needs of encampments and non-shelter homelessness, the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, and the Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, are proud to announce financial support for 205 initiatives over two years, totalling $50 million.
These projects were selected following a call for proposals and consultations with partners to carry out the activities identified in the Plans de réponse communautaire aux campements in the 11 health and social services regions concerned.
This funding under the Canada-Quebec Agreement on Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampments is separate from the Canada-Quebec Agreement on Reaching Home. It is designed to help meet the immediate needs of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Quebec, and to support their transition to housing.
Support for a wide range of initiatives
Funded projects include capital investments to move people out of encampments, support to ensure residential stability for vulnerable people, street work and outreach initiatives, and the enhancement of 24/7 services for people experiencing homelessness.
Selected projects include :
- Enhancement and development of emergency shelters and drop-in centres to offer quality shelter and services in safe conditions;
- Strengthening mobile teams and their psychosocial intervention capabilities, enabling rapid, targeted intervention for people experiencing homelessness;
- Support for services offered at day centres and food banks;
- Post-housing support for young people at imminent risk of homelessness, to provide them with specialized accompaniment and resources to prevent precarious situations.
Investments under the Canada-Quebec Agreement on Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampments will significantly increase access to services, promote better care for vulnerable people, and reduce homelessness, particularly in urban areas with high rates of homelessness.
Quotes
"Our government is committed to ending homelessness by helping the most vulnerable citizens find safe and affordable housing. With the selection of these 205 projects, we will enhance support services to better address the urgent needs of people living in encampments or experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Canada."
The Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
"I welcome this investment, which will allow us to support innovative projects across Quebec to provide solutions tailored to the needs of people experiencing homelessness. This new investment demonstrates the real efforts our government is making to combat homelessness and provide tangible support to vulnerable individuals. We want not only to improve access to services but also to intervene preventively to prevent more Quebecers from finding themselves in situations of homelessness. This is our priority. I thank all the partner organizations that have submitted these excellent proposals."
Lionel Carmant, Minister responsible for Social Services
Quick Facts
- The Canada-Quebec Agreement on Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampments was concluded on December 12, 2024. This one-time funding aims to provide a rapid and targeted response to the urgent needs of encampments and unsheltered homelessness.
- Santé Québec territorial establishments, in collaboration with partners working in homelessness, including municipalities, have developed Plans de réponse communautaire aux campements (PRCC). This initiative aimed to ensure coordinated planning, clear communication, and community buy-in for the measures implemented. The PRCCs have been incorporated into the Plans d'action régionaux et communautaires intégrés (PARCI) of the territorial establishments of the 11 targeted health and social services regions, which are publicly available online.
Associated Links
Reaching Home : Canada's Homelessness Strategy
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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Sofia Ouslis, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, [email protected]; Media Relations Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll-free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Sasha Trudel, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister responsible for Social Services, 418 208-2584
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